Orange Helps Rockers Recharge Their Batteries at Outdoor Fests

U.K. Mobile Carrier Creates Naturally Powered Cellphone Charging Tent

We tend to get bored reading stories about what brand is sponsoring what tour, and unless a brand is handing out free enchiladas, we generally steer clear of the tables at venues. But outdoor summer festivals provide much more creative avenues for interaction, and a U.K. wireless carrier has come up with an idea for them that beleaguered fans will probably flock to: a renewable-energy-powered charging tent for mobile phones.

Our humble editor Jonah Bloom suggested a few weeks back that marketers should be spending more money on useful services, and, for weary, bedraggled folks at multi-day outdoor shows, a charged cellphone battery is probably on a shortlist along with water, beer, hot dogs and beer.

What's more, Orange REcharge Pod, which will be set up at the Glastonbury Music Festival later this month, doesn't require noisy, gas-guzzling generators to keep itself going; it runs on solar and wind power, enough to simultaneously charge 100 cellphones.

From Wired's Listening Post blog:

"Glastonbury Festival prides itself on being the first festival to host alternative solutions to environmental concerns," said a Glastonbury representative. "The Orange REcharge Pod is a great initiative that supports (the apparent slogan) 'Love the Farm, Leave No Trace' and encourages people to open their eyes to the many practical uses of renewable energy."

Of course, there's good reason to believe that most of the energy consumed for a show is during travel to a venue, not accommodations once attendees are there. And who the hell wants more functioning cellphones at shows anyway? But for anyone whose friends tend to split along Kanye-Nine Inch Nails lines during multi-stage festivals, this tent may be a beacon of hope.